South Korean government to test blockchain-based e-voting system

According to a ZDNet report, the South Korean government plans to test blockchain technology for an electronic voting system.

The test is developed by the Ministry of Science and ICT in collaboration with the National Election Commission (NEC). The trial will be conducted by the Korea Internet and Security Agency (KISA) and the Seoul National University’s Blockchain Society and has been scheduled for next month.

ZDNet’s report mention that voter authentication and result saving will use blockchain tech. According to the article:

“Voting will be conducted via mobile and personal computers. Data will be saved on a distributed network and all voters will be able to view voting results as they progress.”

After the trial ends, the NEX will need to decide how the system will be used for online voting. It seems like the voting system will also be upgraded using artificial intelligence (AI), big data, and Internet of Things (IoT) technologies.

Other countries are also testing blockchain-based mobile voting systems. The U.S. state of West Virginia used such a system for the midterm elections. After the elections ended, 144 military personnel stationed overseas from 24 countries were able to successfully vote using Voatz, a mobile blockchain-based platform.

In 2018, other countries have expressed their interest in using blockchain-based voting systems, including Ukraine, Catalonia, and Tsukuba, a Japanese city. Furthermore, the Swiss city of Zug, also known as “Crypto Valley” ran a blockchain-powered trial municipal vote back in June.